GRUNDY CENTER --- Months before Michelle Kehoe allegedly killed one of her sons and injured another, her thinking was so distorted she felt her only option was to die, a defense witness said Tuesday.

Dr. William Logan, a psychiatrist from Kansas City, Mo., said Kehoe, 36, of Coralville, suffered from a severe case of depression that colored her thinking and made her incapable of telling right from wrong.

"That was so broke at that time that she couldn't think rationally," Logan told jurors.

Kehoe, 36, of Corallville, is accused of killing her son Seth, 2, and injuring another son Sean, now 8, at a pond near Littleton on Oct. 26, 2008. She is standing trial for first-degree murder, attempted murder and child endangerment resulting in serious injury.

Andrea Dryer, her defense attorney, began presenting her case this morning. Dryer is not contesting the facts of the case, but argued Kehoe's mental illness meant she couldn't fully comprehend her actions.

"She didn't have the mental capacity to tell the difference between right and wrong of the acts she is accused of," Dryer said during her opening statements.

Logan testified that Kehoe began treatment for her depression in 1996. In March 1998, she had her first suicide attempt, when she drank Heet, an anti-freeze used in gas tanks, along with inhaling carbon monoxide.

"What is significant about this is she didn't reach out to anyone close, she didn't even let her husband know," Logan said.

She had a subsequent attempt in February 1999, when she went to a hotel and tried to cut her femoral artery. The attempted failed and her wound clotted up, Logan said.

Eventually, her mood darkened as her depression increased, to the point where she thought her only out was suicide. She also felt her kids should die as well, so they'd be spared the suffering.

Under cross examination, Logan admitted there were inconsistencies with what Kehoe said.

"The major thing that I think argues against her ability to tell right from wrong is the amount of planning involved (in the killing)," he said.

Kehoe told him she began planning the event several months before Oct. 26.

Earlier in the morning, the prosecution finished its case against Kehoe with testimony from Dr. Dennis Klein, the deputy state medical examiner who performed an autopsy on Seth Kehoe.

Klein said Seth died of sharp cut wounds to his neck. The two wounds on the left side of his neck cut through the interior jugular vein, which caused him to bleed to death.

The injury, however, didn't cause the toddler to lose consciousness immediately.

"I don't have any way of giving a number; however, I would suspect in a matter of minutes," Klein said.

"As opposed to moments?" said Andrew Prosser, an assistant attorney genera.

"Yes," Klein said.

Testimony continues this afternoon in the trial.

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GRUNDY CENTER - State prosecutors rested their case against Michelle Kehoe at 9:30 a.m. today after hearing testimony regarding an autopsy conducted on her 2-year-old son, Seth.

Dr. Dennis Klein, a deputy state medical examiner, told jurors Seth died of sharp cut wounds to the left side of his neck.

Klein said the two wounds cut Seth's internal jugular vein. The injury would not have caused Seth to lose consciousness immediately, he said.

"I don't have any way of giving a number, however, I would suspect in a matter of minutes," Klein said.

"As opposed to moments?" assistant attorney general Andrew Prosser asked.

"Yes," Klein said.

The autopsy was conducted in Ankeny at the State Medical Examiner's office on Oct. 28, 2008.

Klein classified the death as a homicide. He was on the stand for half an hour. During the testimony, family members of Michelle's husband Gene were crying. Michelle Kehoe also was wiping tears from her face.

Defense attorneys are expected to begin their case today.

Kehoe, 36, is accused of killing her 2-year-old son, Seth, and injuring her son, Sean, 7, in October 2008 near Littleton. The Coralville woman also was in the hospital for several weeks for injuries to her neck.